8ID supports KKP MEDCAP in Leyte

Camp Lukban, Catbalogan, Samar –The 8th Infantry Division extended full-support to the 2-day Medical and Dental Civic Action Program (MEDCAP) spearheaded by the Kaunlaran para sa Kabataan Pandaigdig (KKP) Foundation Inc. that was held in New Taligue, Abuyog, Leyte yesterday.

Ms Catherine D Co, Founder of KKP Foundation, said that a total of eight hundred forty four (844) beneficiaries received health services consisting of the following: one hundred eighty-eight (188) benefited medical consultation; one hundred forty-nine (149) on dental services; sixteen (16) blood donors with 500cc each; one hundred twenty-seven (127) circumcised; two hundred five (205) received school supplies; and one hundred fifty nine (159) received free medicines. These patients came from the cluster of ten (10) barangays namely; Libertad, Parasanon, Old Talaque, New Talaque, Nebga, Anibungon, Tinokolan, Mahayahay, Pinamanagan and Katipunan all in Abuyog, Leyte .


Hon. Emmuelle Gacis, Vice Mayor of Abuyog, medical doctors and municipal health workers also extended assistance to this joint medical mission and outreach program.

The Medical Mission and Outreach Program of the KKP is regularly conducted to provide health and medical related services to poor communities all over the country.

Barangay Captain Papong of New Talaque expressed his gratitude to the joint KKP and AFP humanitarian endeavor which benefited his constituents.###

Kritiko ng MSQRT hinikayat

Camp Lukban, Catbalogan, Samar – Ang Multi-Sectoral Quick Reaction Team o MSQRT ay naglalayong tumugon sa mga suliraning dulot ng “extra-legal killings”. Ito ay nabuo sa pagkakaisa sa mithiin ng ibat-ibang sector sa lipunan na walang ibang hangarin kundi mapanatili o mapalaganap ang kapayapaan at kaunlaran sa buong bansa.

Hindi kataka-taka na ang mga dumalo sa pagpupulong ay may mataas na antas ng kamalayan sa pakikipagkapwa. Sa kabila ng kanilang kakulangan at kakayahan, sila ay nagbuklod-buklod upang maipadama sa bawat kasapi ang kanilang pananagutan sa layunin ng samahan.

Bilang isa sa mga kasapi ipinahayag ni Major General Mario F Chan ang kahandaan ng kasundaluhan na gumalang sa karapatang pantao. Aniya, “Ang mga sundalo ay magpapatuloy sa paggalang sa karapatang pantao sa kabila ng mga bintang ng mga grupong mapanghusga”.

Ang MSQRT ay halos dalawang linggo pa lamang ngunit ito ay umani na ng mga batikos tatlong-araw mula ng ito ay ilunsad. Dahil dito, ipinahayag ni Major General Chan ang kanyang paanyaya sa mga kritiko na humarap sa pagpupulong ng MSQRT at makiisa upang mabigyang linaw ang kanilang mga akusasyon.

Ang MSQRT ay magpapatuloy sa layuning mapagsilbihan ang mga mamamayan upang makamit ang kapayapaan at kaunlaran..###

CHAN: “We are more than ready!”

Camp Lukban, Catbalogan City – 14 brand new military vehicles were handed over to seven (7) Army battalions deployed in different areas of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division in a ceremony during the Monday flag raising at the Division Headquarters’ ground around 8:00 o’clock this morning.

No less than Major General Mario Chan himself the 8ID’s commander entrusted the keys to the supply officers of the recipient units who will serve as the vehicles custodians.

These brand new vehicles mean better, faster and enhanced performance of 8ID in serving the people of Eastern Visayas particularly in disaster, relief and rescue operations in times of calamity and natural or manmade environmental disturbances.

Further, Major General Chan emphasized that these vehicles are just part of the efforts of the Philippine Army in its continuing capability upgrade program (CUP). Accordingly, Philippine Army will provide not only new military equipment, weapon system but also on and off base facilities and medical services for soldiers.

“With these new equipment and tools, the 8ID is more than ready to serve the people and will maintain the faster delivery of services in winning peace and for immediate response to natural and manmade disaster that are very much essential in the pursuit of development in the region,” Chan adds.

After the traditional blessing of vehicles in front of the 8ID grandstand, the said vehicles were moved in convoy and presented to the people in the immediate and nearby communities to show how sincere the 8ID is in bringing up to date and faster delivery of services in “winning the peace” in this part of the country.

Said vehicles are now in the custody of 14th, 19th, 20th, 34th, 63rd and 87th infantry battalions and Service Support Battalion, respectively and expected to do better in the furtherance of their efforts in supporting the mission of 8ID to win peace and bring stability and sustain development in Region 8. ###

8ID supports the PNP and the community in the fight against ELK-ED

Camp Lukban, Catbalogan, Samar – Today, the 8ID joined the Provincial PNP leadership and other government and non-government representatives in the launching of Multi-Sectoral Quick Reaction Team (MSQRT) dubbed as “Kasugbong”. This move hopes to address Extra-Legal Killings and Enforced Disappearances (ELK-ED). A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Pledge of Commitment were signed by all stakeholders. The activity was held at Cocina de Cabral, Catbalogan City, around 9:00 a.m.

MSQRT is spearheaded by a local civil society organization known as Multi-sectoral Alliance for Transparency and Accountability (MATA). It is supported by the Euro-Phil Justice Support Program (EPJUST), The Asia Foundation and the Ateneo Human Rights Center.

In his message, 8ID Commander Major General F Mario Chan AFP expressed his commitment of support and cooperation to the ideals of the group. He cited his standing policy to all soldiers to observe respect of human rights and the exercise of the rule of law during the conduct of ISO. As such, these are now being implemented as evident in the capture and arrest of a certain Erickson Acosta, who was identified to be a member of a local terrorist group (LTG) in Samar Island. The rights of the suspect were respected when he was accosted last February, 2011.

General Chan encouraged the stakeholders to put up a collective fight against extra legal killings and terrorism to promote a safe environment. Being a member of the Regional Development Council himself, he mentioned current efforts to push through with road development projects that are expected to curb lawlessness by way of faster delivery of basic services and response to natural and manmade disaster ###.

Another two top ranking NPA leaders in Eastern Samar surrendered

Camp Lukban, Catbalogan Samar – Two top ranking leaders were presented by Governor Conrado Nicart of Eastern Samar to Major General Mario F Chan, Commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division in Eastern Visayas just this morning at about 10:30 am.

The two surrenderees are identified as Marvin Deo Capones aka Saga/Red, Vice Commander, Provincial Operational Command, Eastern Samar Provincial Party Committee (ESPPC) of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC) and his party wife, Gelita Capones aka Daisy/Onan, Medical Officer of the ESPPC, EVRPC.

The surrenderees were also presented to the media during the short press conference held at the conference room of the Eastern Samar Provincial Capitol. Marvin, a native of McArthur, Eastern Samar and his wife Gelita, who is from Oras of the same province decided to abandon their armed struggle for the sake of their eight month old child. “Being in the revolutionary movement, life is a very difficult and the future of our family especially our child is uncertain, hence we decided to come out in order to once again live a normal life”, the couple said.

Their surrender was initiated by Governor Condrado Nicart of Eastern Samar in support to the government’s IPSP- Bayanihan. Also present during the press briefing were Colonel Virgilio M Espineli, Assistant Division Commander of 8ID, Colonel Romeo Labador, Commander, 801st Brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Hermilo Demafiles, CO, 14IB and PSupt Codilla, the Provincial Director of Eastern Samar, PNP.

The surrender of the two top NPA leaders in Eastern Samar is a big blow to the revolutionary movement. It has showed that even the top ranking leaders had realized the futility of their continued struggle. The current efforts of 8ID in the conduct of sustained combat operations in its entire area of responsibility have kept the communist terrorists on the run, thereby preventing them to launch major tactical offensives. With the full support of the PNP, the local leaders and other stakeholders, has also reduced the capability of the NPAs to recover their mass base support that would sustain their armed components.

Major General Chan expressed his deep appreciation and gratitude to the honorable governor in his efforts in working out for the return of the couple to the folds of the law. According to him, he is very much happy with the progress in the implementation of the current governments Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) “Bayanihan” where the local leaders showed their commitment and support for the efforts in winning the peace.

General Chan also reiterated his call for the NPA to abandon their armed struggle. “Peace could be attained if our brothers (NPAs) would just heed to our call of giving up their revolutionary struggle. There is no happiness and satisfaction derived from killing NPA rebels, only disperation. The real sense of fulfillment comes in embracing former rebels back to the folds of law and help him become productive citizens of the country”. He said.

The two former rebels are now in the custody of Governor Nicart who has pledged his full support to the rebel returnees by providing them financial and livelihood means as they start their new life as responsible citizens of the community. ###